The Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan is the central executive authority that implements state policy and regulation in the fields of digital development, e-government, telecommunications, postal services, space activities, high technologies (including digital technologies, information technologies, microelectronics, artificial intelligence, nano, bio and other innovative knowledge-intensive technologies), personal data, and transport (automobile, railway, maritime, air transport, as well as navigation).
On May 28, 1918, the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic - the first democratic state in the East - was established. From the day of its foundation, the ADR undertook significant work in the development of postal and telegraph services in the country. The independent state established the Ministry of Post and Telegraph. The first ministers of communications were Malik-Aslanov, A. Ashurov, and J. Hajinski.
On October 11, 2021, by Decree No. 1464 of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies was renamed the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport. The purpose was to expand the implementation of digitalization and innovation in the country, to improve radio spectrum management, the development of communications and information technologies, to enhance regulatory mechanisms, and to create a healthy competitive environment.
According to the Statute “On the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan” approved by Decree No. 1785 of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated January 12, 2018, the Ministry’s main areas of activity related to transit freight transportation are as follows:
- ● Development and management of transport corridors - international and regional corridors (North–South, East–West, Zangezur Corridor, etc.), as well as optimization of transit routes;
- ● Coordination of road, railway, maritime, and air transport - ensuring the safe and timely organization of freight transportation;
- ● Digital solutions for transit freight - electronic ticketing and cargo tracking systems, organization of information exchange on a single platform;
- ● Simplification of customs and border crossing procedures - measures to minimize time losses in the transport process;
- ● Establishment of logistics centers and terminals - for convenient transfer and sorting of cargo flows.
In accordance with the directions of activity defined by this Statute, the Ministry carries out the following duties in the organization and oversight of international freight transportation:
- ● Taking measures to increase the transit potential of the Republic of Azerbaijan, attract transit cargo, and organize their transportation along international corridors;
- ● Cooperating with relevant state authorities, international organizations, and the private sector to develop and enhance the competitiveness of international transport corridors;
- ● Implementing measures to improve the operation of transport-logistics centers, cargo terminals, and border crossing points, as well as to accelerate transit processes;
- ● Ensuring the collection and analysis of data on transit freight transportation and the formation of a unified information database;
- ● Preparing proposals to simplify and digitalize customs, border, and other control procedures applied during transit cargo transportation;
- ● Implementing projects for the development of infrastructure of the North–South, East–West, Zangezur Corridor, and other international transit routes;
- ● Ensuring the safety of transit freight transportation and monitoring compliance with international requirements during transportation.